Playing with Fire
by TheEternalForever
Summary: Can she let go of her past for the sake of her future? Kat Cullen is unusual, even as far as vampires are concerned. But can she break free of her pain with the help of her new family - and a very persistant wolf? Full summary inside - rating may change in some chapters. Read and review please :)
1. Summary

**Playing with fire**

_Can she let go of her past for the sake of her future?_

Katarina was one of the most remarkable vampires Carlisle Cullen had ever met. Turning up on his doorstep in the pouring rain late one night, Kat's eyes were already golden. She was only three days old.

_How can this be?_

Kat enrolled at Forks High School along with the rest of the coven, and was an instant hit with the other students, much to the confusion of the others. Humans keep away from them – survival instinct makes sure of it. So why does everyone love this girl with no last name, no history, no background?

Despite their early reservations, Kat charmed her into the heart of the family, and Jasper insisted they shouldn't push her to talk about herself. The two grew close, and became good friends as well as brother and sister. And when everyone distrusted Bella with their secret, their lives, Kat stood on Edward's side.

But Kat's life has always been controlled. And now, with the battle against Victoria looming on the horizon, Kat must make an impossible choice. Can she build herself a future like the one she'd dreamed of all her life? Or will her fear of her past, and inability to believe that one wolf and one family has the power to save her, keep her from breaking free? And even if she can bring herself to trust again, can Katarina Cullen really choose between the family she has grown to love, and the family she was forced to leave behind?

The Twilight Saga as told from a different perspective – that of a troubled young girl desperate to be free.

**Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga belongs to Meyer – Kat belongs to me, as does any plot you don't recognise from the books**


	2. Prologue

"_Katarina!"_

The command echoed across the otherwise silent reservation, and the Makah people huddled into the darkest corners of their homes, trying desperately to shield themselves from the evil outside. He was going to kill again, and every one of them prayed that their families would be spared one more time.

In the middle of the deserted main road, the teenage girl came to an abrupt stopped. Blood trickled from her nose and lip, and she swayed slightly on her feet, but her golden eyes shone with fire. Behind her, a young man also stopped. His arm was perfectly steady and his face was cold and hard. His pale skin shone in the grey light and, when he blinked, his eyes turned from a dull brown to fierce scarlet.

"Katarina".

The girl spun round to face her attacker and, as he raised his gun until it stared her straight in the eye, his brother pushed his brutally aside. Surprised, the man stumbled, just a fraction, yet it was enough. A ferocious bang bellowed through the still trees and the girl fell, the silver bullet piercing her heart. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed across the grey, lifeless sky. The two men, one with a single tear trapped on his cheek, watched as the girl's body twitched and jolted on the hard ground.

"Put her in a cell". The simple statement had barely left his lips before Joshua's eyes melted back to brown and he turned away. His brother stood, shaking, staring at the body of one of the bravest women he had even known. Joshua's voice once again cut through the thick air. "Put her in a cell and tell me when she's dead or turned".

...

Three days later, as Jamie carried a cup of fresh blood through the underground corridors, he felt something amiss. He unlocked the cell door and peeked in, opening it wider when he couldn't sense anyone there. Finally stepping into the tiny concrete room, he smiled slightly as he took in its emptiness.

"Always get what you want, huh?" he murmured before backing out and slowly locking the door once more.

Just outside the reservation borders, a teenage girl sat on the highest branch of a tall tree. Her clothes were soaking wet and covered in blood. Her skin was deathly pale; it had lost its golden Californian tan when she turned. She was thirsty, so thirsty, and sprang suddenly to the ground, snapping the neck of a passing deer without a second thought. Guilt invaded her mind for just a second, before the thirst took over and she fell upon her prey like a famished, inhuman creature.

_Don't suppose I can ever think of myself as human anymore._

The bitter thought was fleeting, but its short-lived nature didn't protect her from its sting. A crunch of footsteps disturbed the silent peace of the forest. She was sure it was just the rest of the deer herd, but the girl couldn't afford to be caught. Rain began to fall and she turned her head upwards, letting it wash away the blood. Her striking golden eyes stare blindly to the sky, just for a second, before she began to run.

_He might have taken my humanity, _she mentally noted, _but he couldn't take my life. I win. I will always win, Joshua._


	3. Chapter 1

**Author's note: I know the chapters are pretty short so far, but I now have more free time than I did a few weeks ago so this, and all my works, are going to be updated more regularly. Hope you enjoy and please don't forget to review!**

_Forks, Washington_

"I hate the rain". Rosalie Hale sat sulking by the window, staring listlessly at the storm raging outside.

"Why, because it makes your hair go frizzy?" Edward Cullen grinned, ducking quickly to avoid the lamp his disgruntled sister threw in his direction. He winked at their brother, Jasper, who shook his head with a smirk and continued reading. "It would have been fine if we'd gone to play baseball", Edward addressed Rosalie again, who snorted but otherwise ignored him. Edward continued regardless, "still, next week we'll be back at school. No time for sulking".

"You underestimate me, Eddy dearest", Rosalie finally acknowledged Edward's statement. "We don't sleep. That's an extra eight hours where I can _sulk_ to my heart's content".

Jasper snorted with laughter and Edward glared menacingly at them both. He opened his mouth to retaliate but was interrupted by a loud, sharp knock on the front door. The three vampires looked at each other in surprise. It was almost midnight, the weather was beyond terrible and it wasn't as if the Cullens had made friends with the humans in the small town any more than they needed to. The knocking disturbed the silence again, and Edward watched, worried, as Jasper frowned suddenly.

"Honestly", Carlisle Cullen shook his head as he made his way to the door, his wife Esme following close behind, a concerned expression on her kindly face. "Where are your manners?" Carlisle shook his head and pulled open the door to greet their surprise visitor.

Kat stepped back from the Cullen's front door as it swung open, and blinked rapidly as the bright lights inside washed over her, illuminating her ghostly pale skin. Her golden eyes met Carlisle's and she stood still, frozen, ignoring the rain that bounced viciously off her marble skin.

"Hello". Kat said nothing to acknowledge Carlisle's greeting; instead, her brain was working furiously to process the house and family.

_Right then._ Kat stayed silent as she tried to adjust her scrambled thoughts. _There are 5 of them? No, wait, 7. 2 in the entrance hall, 3 in the sitting room and the other 2 upstairs. A guy in the living room can feel emotions, and the other one can read minds. Damn. _Kat took a breath and snapped shut the guards on her thoughts, preventing an astounded Edward from reading her frazzled mind. _There's another talent. What does she do? What does she do? _Feeling lost and afraid and very, very out of her depth, Kat took a step back. _You idiot! Oh God, this was a bad idea. Why am I doing this? Get away, NOW!_

But before Kat could turn and run like every nerve and survival instinct in her body was telling her to do, a strong yet gentle hand gripped her elbow, propelling her firmly inside.

"Come on sweetheart", Esme's soothing voice filtered through Kat's frenzied thoughts. "Come and sit down. I'll dry your clothes for you, if you don't mind wearing some of Rosalie's until they're done". The door shut quietly behind them and Kat was dimly aware of being pushed into a soft armchair. She forced her eyes to focus, and found herself face to face with three puzzled vampires and a kind woman, whom Kat immediately assumed always played the mother role. The woman was still speaking slowly and calmly, while trying to gently wrestle Kat out of her now torn, bloodied and filthy leather jacket. Kat had no idea who these people were, but she had never felt safer.


End file.
